Enhanced Network System Through the Combination of Network Objects

1. A virtual machine system, comprising: at least one processor; at least one memory coupled to said processor; computer executable instructions stored in said at least one memory that when executed by said at least one processor instantiate at least a source network object providing a virtual network interface card (NIC), an intermediate network object providing network switching, and a destination network object providing a second virtual NIC, comprising: computer executable instructions stored in said at least one memory that when executed by said at least one processor instantiate a network channel that connects said source network object, said intermediate network object, and said destination network object, said network channel being configured to send framed data packets among said source network object, said intermediate network object, and said destination network object; computer executable instructions stored in said at least one memory that when executed by said at least one processor instantiate a control channel that is separate from said network channel and connects at least two of said source network object, said intermediate network object, and said destination network object, said control channel being configured to send control data messages between said at least two network objects, wherein said control data messages enable respective network objects to setup a path for the sending of not fully framed data packets, therebetween; and computer executable instructions stored in said at least one memory that when executed by said at least one processor cause one of said network objects receiving a TCP/IP offload engine (TOE) connection request to determine that said TOE connection request should not be forwarded when the network object receiving the TOE connection request controls a physical NIC which can perform the TOE connection request in hardware or the network object receiving the TOE connection request is unable to find an adjacent network object which could handle the TOE connection request.

2. A virtual machine system as in claim 1 , wherein said control channel comprises a software connection between respective network objects.

3. A virtual machine system as in claim 1 , wherein said control channel comprises a packet bus connection between respective network objects.

4. A virtual machine system as in claim 1 , wherein said control data messages comprise a sub-protocol of a standard protocol stack for the framed data packets.

5. A virtual machine system as in claim 1 , wherein said control data messages include routing/topology data for reconfiguring the respective network objects to change a routing of said framed data packets between at least said intermediate network object and said destination network object.

6. A virtual machine system as in claim 1 , wherein said control data messages include TCP/IP checksums.

7. A virtual machine system as in claim 1 , wherein said control data messages include a request that a TCP/IP offload engine (TOE) connection be established.

8. A virtual machine system as in claim 7 , wherein a network object receiving said TOE connection request looks up a port corresponding to the network address of the TOE connection request in a routing table to determine that the particular network address is available via an adjacent network object and establishes a communication link between the network object that sent said TOE connection request and the determined adjacent network object by forwarding said received TOE connection request to the adjacent network object.

9. A virtual machine system as in claim 7 , wherein if a network object receiving said TOE connection request determines that the TOE connection request should not be forwarded, said network object handles the TOE connection request locally.

10. A virtual machine system as in claim 1 , wherein said control data messages enable a network object besides the source network object to break apart a partially or fully framed data packet using a large send offload.

11. A virtual machine system as in claim 1 , wherein said control data messages enable a network object besides the source network object to frame said data packets with meta data including routing information for each data packet and information on what each data packet contains for transmission to another network object via said network channel.

12. A virtual machine system as in claim 11 , wherein said network object besides the source network object offloads a received message to framing hardware that frames said message into TCP/IP packets.

13. A virtual machine system as in claim 1 , wherein said control data messages include at least one network property of a network object.

14. A virtual machine system as in claim 13 , wherein said network property comprises a maximum transmission unit (MTU) size for a communication path between respective network objects.